7 Worst All-Star Game snubs in Los Angeles Lakers history

No. 5: Pau Gasol, 2011-12

In 2011-12 the hype around Andrew Bynum reached a fever pitch. The raw, huge center had been a part of championship teams for the Los Angeles Lakers already but had never seemed to put it all together. In 2011-2 he finally looked to be making the leap, averaging 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. He not only earned an All-Star berth but made Second Team All-NBA as well.

Bynum wasn't an undeserving All-Star, but what his selection did was force out Pau Gasol. The Spanish big man had made three-straight All-Star Games for the Lakers and was the clear second-best player on the team, co-starring with Kobe Bryant en route to a pair of titles in 2009 and 2010.

Gasol's counting stats continued to be solid; he averaged 17.4 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Peeling back the surface-level stats, Gasol's case only becomes stronger. He led the Lakers in win shares, in Box Plus-Minus (BPM) and in VORP. In the lockout-shortened season, he played in all 65 games.

The Lakers would go 41-25, winning the Pacific Division and making the second round. With Bynum earning the "media validation that he's a good player" spot there wasn't room for Bynum, especially with players like Blake Griffin and Kevin Love ascending around them in the West, but Gasol was the best player on the Lakers that season and deserved an All-Star berth.